Federal Depository Library

The USA Marx Library has been a member of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) since 1968 and is one of 21 depository libraries in the state of Alabama. Our primary mission is to serve the needs of the faculty, students and staff at the University of South Alabama. We also serve the needs of the citizens of the 2nd Congressional District of Alabama, with emphasis on Mobile and Baldwin counties. This library is a congressionally-designated depository for U.S. Government documents. Public access to the government documents collection is guaranteed by public law. (Title 44 United States Code)

Marx Library University of South Alabama 5901 USA Drive North Mobile, AL 36688 Ph: (251) 460-7028webref@southalabama.edu

Government Documents

National Black History Month, 2026

National Black History Month has its origins in 1915, when historian and author Dr. Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. Through this organization, Dr. Woodson initiated the first Negro History Week in February 1926. Dr. Woodson selected the week in February that included the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, two key figures in the history of Black Americans.

In 1975, President Ford issued a “Message on the Observance of Black History Week” urging all Americans to "recognize the important contribution made to our nation's life and culture by black citizens." In 1976, the observance to commemorate the Black history in the United States was expanded from a week-long observance to Black History Month. In subsequent years, presidents continued to issue proclamations honoring Black History Month.

In 1986, Congress passed Public Law 99-244, which designated February 1986 as "National Black (Afro-American) History Month.” This law noted that February 1, 1986 would “mark the beginning of the sixtieth annual public and private salute to Black History.” The law further directed the president to issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe February 1986 as Black History Month with the appropriate ceremonies and activities.

President Reagan issued Presidential Proclamation 5443 , which proclaimed that “the foremost purpose of Black History Month is to make all Americans aware of this struggle for freedom and equal opportunity.” This proclamation further stated that this month was a time “to celebrate the many achievements of African Americans in every field from science and the arts to politics and religion."

Since 1996, presidents have issued annual proclamations for National Black History Month. That is, until 2026, when the tradition of acknowledging National Black History Month through presidential proclamation ceased. But the celebration is continued by various governmental agencies and by The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) the original founders of the event. This year’s theme is “A Century of Black History Commemorations.”

A six-page companion bibliography is available.

Chase away the winter chill by diving into our "souper" secret--

While government documents are often associated with laws and data, they also house a wealth of time-tested nutritional wisdom and regional flavors. From vintage USDA and wartime recipes to modern nutritional guides, we invite you to explore the "official" side of comfort food and discover how federal records have been helping Americans keep the ladle full for generations. Grab a recipe, get the pot simmering, and see how the Gov Docs Department does soup season!

Come browse some of our department’s favorite soup recipes! The display can be found at Marx Library on 2nd Floor South with a 5-page bibliography for additional information.

For more information on the topic of food, see our LibGuide Gov Docs: What's Cooking? Recipes & Cookbooks

**40th Anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster**

On January 28, 1986, much of America tuned in to watch the historic launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger (STS-51L), highlighting the first Teacher in Space, Christa McAuliffe. As classrooms across the country watch the event live, they were a real-time witness as tragedy unfolded 73 seconds into the flight. A catastrophic explosion occurred as a result of a leak in one of two Solid Rocket Boosters that ignited the main liquid fuel tank. All seven astronauts died as a result, a reminder of the risks of space flight. The crewmembers of the Challenger represented a cross-section of the American population in terms of race, gender, geography, background and religion. The explosion became one of the most significant events of the 1980s, as billions around the world saw the accident on television and empathized with any one of the several crewmembers killed.

There is a display honoring this event on its 40th anniversary, in the Government Documents Dept., 2nd Floor South of Marx Library. A 7-page bibliography is available, highlighting the resources available from the library.